


Do These Tacos Taste Funny To You?

by Summerwolf



Series: Whumptober 2020 [22]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: But It Get's Mentioned, Dying Tony, Gen, Hurt Peter Parker, Hurt Tony Stark, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Magic, Mystery, Mystery Character(s), Or A Physic, Peter Parker Has a Family, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker Whump, Poison, Poisoned Tony, Poisoning, Possibly A Witch, Precious Peter Parker, Protective Peter Parker, Spells & Enchantments, Whumptober 2020, no actual suicide, we never get told
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:28:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27153856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Summerwolf/pseuds/Summerwolf
Summary: Whumptober day 22 - Poisoned, Drugged.---"Come on in," the mysterious man grinned as he stepped away from the door, his voice deeper than Peter had expected when he arrived, even knowing what little he did about the man.Oblivious to Peter's surprise, the man just continued waving Peter in and closing the door behind him. Peter shuffled his feet awkwardly. He knew he was in danger being here, the way the man had opened the door for him before he'd even had time to knock evidence enough of that. He should turn back, leave before he does one thing wrong and loses something important to him, but he couldn't turn back. Sure, he could accidently make some kind of deal and lose his soul if he stayed, but if he left he would never be able to find out if this man could help, and he needed to know if he could help.
Relationships: Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: Whumptober 2020 [22]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1946926
Comments: 6
Kudos: 36
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	Do These Tacos Taste Funny To You?

"Come on in," the mysterious man grinned as he stepped away from the door, his voice deeper than Peter had expected when he arrived, even knowing what little he did about the man.

Oblivious to Peter's surprise, the man just continued waving Peter in and closing the door behind him. Peter shuffled his feet awkwardly. He knew he was in danger being here, the way the man had opened the door for him before he'd even had time to knock evidence enough of that. He should turn back, leave before he does one thing wrong and loses something important to him, but he couldn't turn back. Sure, he could accidently make some kind of deal and lose his soul if he stayed, but if he left he would never be able to find out if this man could help, and he needed to know if he could help.

The man didn't look very old, not his body anyway, a bit of grey peppered his black hair, and there were a few lines - both laugh and frown - covering his face, but his bright blue eyes sparkled with many millions of years of knowledge and suffering, enough to tell Peter that this was the place he'd heard of.

"Do sit down, we have plenty of time to get to why you came here," the man said, waving Peter towards the other armchair as he sat in the one closest to them, smoothing the coattails of his badly fitted black trench coat - and Peter wondered yet again, why was he trusting a guy in a trench coat? He was certain he’d been told not to do that on more than one occasion - under him as he shifted his foot onto his knee and leaned back, looking as relaxed as could be.

"How much do you know already?" Peter asked slowly, dropping down into the armchair he'd been waved into and hugging his legs to his chest. He wasn't exactly getting a bad vibe from the man, and his spider senses weren't tingling, but that didn't mean he was safe.

"I know your name is Peter, you are Spiderman," the man started saying, watching Peter as he talked. It almost felt like he could see right through Peter, right to his soul. "You are here because your mentor is dying. Iron man was poisoned, so you have come to visit me in the hopes I will be able to help you." 

Peter didn't even want to know how this man knew all that. It wasn't exactly on the news or anything, the Avengers doing what they could to keep it a secret as they desperately searched for a way to save Tony.

This was Peter's addition to the desperate attempts.

Everyone in New York knew of the man, the man who knew more than he should and sometimes, if he liked you enough, would give you the solution to your biggest problem, but no one knew anything about him. He didn't seem to have an age, or a family, and from what Peter could tell he'd lived for far longer than any of them ever had. If he didn't have magic spider powers, Peter would have probably just assumed it was some kind of trick, or old ghost story.

"Can you help me? Can you save Tony?"

"You know," the man started in a conversational tone, completely ignoring Peter's question. "I knew some people just like you, a long time ago, they also put family above all else, they also would have given up everything to save a family member."

Peter didn't comment on the fact that he hadn't said what he would give up yet, mainly because it was true. He would have given anything to save Tony. The fact that this man knew that was probably dangerous, but Peter supposed it didn't matter. It was true whether the man knew it or not.

There was just one thing which the man did which made Peter let out a wry grin and lean forwards to lean his elbows on his knees. He sighed, and started to correct the man.

"Oh, Tony's not my family," he shrugged, "we aren't related in any way. He's just my- my mentor I guess." It didn't sound right, Tony was more than just a mentor to him, always had been to be completely honest.

"Now that's not true is it," the man sighed, reaching up the fiddle with the pendent Peter was only just noticing hanging around his neck, some kind of gold, horned creature. "Family are not just people you are related to, sometimes they aren't people you are related to at all. Nearly everyone I was related to were awful, but my family - my true family - were the best people I ever met." The man had a far off look in his eye, and Peter could tell without even asking that the man's family were gone.

"I guess you're right," Peter sighed, his own hands itching with the urge to fiddle, anything to keep moving until he was able to actually help Tony.

"I often am," the man smiled, standing up and walking towards one of the shelves which covered most of the walls. "Now tell me, I've already figured you will do pretty much everything, but what really is your limit?"

"What do you mean?" Peter asked, hating how his voice shook. He knew better than to show some kind of unknown magic his weaknesses, and yet here he was.

"Would you, I don't know, move the poison? Save him by taking it on as your own?" The man sounded completely uninterested, not moving his gaze away from the bottles he was peering at, even as he talked to Peter.

"I- yes." Peter decided, barely even having to think about it before answering.

"Even knowing that it would probably kill you? That you would save him from poisoning, but sign your own death warrant in the process?"

"Yes."

"Okay then," the man walked a couple of steps more along his shelf unit, "what about taking drugs?"

"What- what kind of drugs?" Peter had no idea what the topic change was about, but he got the feeling that was the man's whole game. As long as he could keep Peter one step behind, Peter would never be able to get the upper hand.

"The magical kind," the man shrugged, tipping a bottle back and forth in an almost thoughtful way. "The magical kind which could do pretty much anything. Would you take them to save Tony?"

Peter stared up at the man, starting to see why few people dared to come and ask him for a favour. "Yes. I would. If it would save Tony I would."

"Interesting," the man hummed, "what about-" he drew the last word out, as though he was trying to figure out what to suggest next, "dying? Would you die to save him?"

"Wasn't that included in the taking the poison for myself?" Peter asked, hoping that he'd be able to seem braver than he felt.

"Clever child," the man smiled, "but no. Taking the poison still left you with time for someone to save you, and maybe your spider powers would have saved you. Dying would mean right here, right now, no comebacks, no second chances. Just death."

Peter didn't even need to think it over. Tony was family, and the world needed Iron Man more than it needed Spiderman. "Yes, I would."

"And that's the funniest bit isn't it," the man murmured, "you actually mean it. You really would die for him."

"Of course."

"Then do it." The man's eyes were hard, like unyielding steel. He tossed him something, which Peter realised with shock was a knife. "No blanks, no tricks. Just a sharp edge, and the chance to save your dad."

"He's not my-"

"I don't think now's the time for arguments like that," the man interrupted, "you're willing to die for him, he's your dad."

"Okay then," Peter muttered absentmindedly, unable to tear his eyes away from the sharp glint of the knife.

"So are you going to do it?" The man asked, amusement filling his tone as he leaned back against the bookcase and crossed his arms.

"I-" Peter stared at the knife, lifting it to his arm. He was unable to believe he was really about to do this, but he needed to save Tony, the world needed Tony. And okay, maybe some people wanted Peter, but they needed Tony more.

He pressed the knife down, looking up to stare at the man in front of him. "You'll save Tony right? You promise."

"I promise," the man nodded, "as long as you keep up your end of the bargain."

The knife was pressed down, Peter got ready for the hot rush of blood.

It never came.

"What the-" Peter gasped, as the knife started to grow warm, glowing blue in his hands.

"You were actually going to do it," the man smiled, lifting a hand up. The knife flew to his hand, disappearing moments after it collided.

"I- what?" Peter was so confused. That knife had been sharp, he knew it had been.

"You passed. You really do love your dad enough to risk everything," there was some kind of awe and happiness in his voice, his eyes sparkling with what might have been tears. "I haven't met anyone who loved their family enough to pass in too long. I will cure him."

"Thank you," Peter gasped, still shaking from the shock of nearly ending up dead.

"No, thank you," the man replied, "thank you for restoring my faith in humanity."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!!  
> Have an awesome week!!!


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